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In Pictures: A Green Roof Comes Alive

What had previously been an unusable outdoor tennis court on the Dirksen Senate Office Building roof has been transformed by plantings, drought-resistant and stays green all year long. View photos of the steps along the way and the final aerial image which shows a special design the pathways make.
By Curator Division | August 6, 2012
        
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    Exterior view of a building.

In 2011, the 7,200 square foot middle section of the Dirksen Senate Office Building roof was replaced with a green roof. What had previously been an unusable outdoor tennis court was transformed by plantings called sedums, which is a drought-resistant plant that stays green all year long. Installing a green roof more than doubles its life expectancy.

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    The middle section of the Dirksen Senate Office Building roof, prior to construction.*The middle section of the Dirksen Senate Office Building roof, prior to construction.*

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    Removal of the lightweight concrete from the Dirksen Building roof.*The first step was to remove the lightweight concrete from the roof.*

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    The old insulation and waterproofing visible on the Dirksen Building roof after the concrete was removed.*Once the concrete was removed, the old insulation and waterproofing is visible.*

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    Workers installing a filter fabric over a drainage layer on the Dirksen Building roof.*Next, workers installed a filter fabric over a drainage layer.*

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    Workers installing a rigid insulation over the Dirksen Building root barrier, creating two inches of insulation.*Workers installed a rigid insulation over the root barrier, creating two inches of insulation.*

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    A worker levels the soil on the Dirksen Building roof. At this point of the project, the gravel ballast for the walkways has been installed.*A worker levels the soil. At this point of the project, the gravel ballast for the walkways has been installed.*

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    Workers on the Dirksen Building roof plant various types of sedums, a drought-resistant plant that stays green year-round. It has a shallow root system that allows it to grow in only four inches of soil.*Workers plant various types of sedums, which have a shallow root system that allows it to grow in only four inches of soil.*

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    The Dirksen Building green roof contains four different sedum mixes that provide yellow and white flowering areas, and bluish-grey and red foliage areas.*The green roof contains four different sedum mixes that provide yellow and white flowering areas, and bluish-grey and red foliage areas.*

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    The Dirksen Building green roof thriving.*Twelve months later, the green roof continues to thrive.*

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    The pathways of the Dirksen Building green roof make a design with the U.S. Capitol Dome on the left, the Washington Monument on the right and a leaf in the bottom left corner.*Can you tell what design the pathways make? The U.S. Capitol Dome is on the left, the Washington Monument is on the right and a leaf is in the bottom left corner.*

**This story is also published in the Summer 2012 issue of AOC's Foundations & Perspectives.**
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